A Fur-Raising Adventure
by Tech Weaver
Summary: [Now with FIVE chapters!] A Digimon adventure starring anthropomorphic animals trying to find a way home.
1. A Fur-Raising Adventure

Skeet's eyes opened to the sight of a white kitten peering over at him from  
the seat in front of him. The back of the seat masked everything below her  
eyes. On her hands, which were clutching the back of said seat, she wore  
strange yellow and red mittens with claws on them. She was on the bus when  
he got on, and he remembered that she was wearing a green blouse and a  
yellow skirt.  
  
Yawning and stretching, Skeet congratulated himself on his remarkable yet  
disturbingly pedophilic memory for detail.  
  
He looked out the window. It was late at night and there were few other  
people on the bus. They were all students that he recognized from school but  
so far had not bothered to learn their names. That is except for Kelly  
Catalonia who Skeet had the good fortune of being able to easily view in at  
least one of his classes.  
  
Skeet wondered if they were related at all, but decided that they probably  
weren't. Kelly and the kitten bore no resemblance to each other besides, of  
course, being felines. In fact, there was something very strange about the  
kitten that Skeet just couldn't put his finger on. Something in her eyes  
made her seem older than she appeared to be, and she seemed uncomfortable in  
her clothes, as if she never worn them before in her life. There was  
something a bit off about the lion driving the bus as well...  
  
Skeet drove the thoughts out of his mind. Probably just some  
drowsiness-induced brain rattling.  
  
"Aren't you a bit young to be riding on the bus all alone so late at night?"  
Skeet asked.  
  
The kitten remained silent and kept on staring.  
  
"Let me guess: Your mother told you not to talk to strangers, right?"  
  
The kitten nodded silently.  
  
"Sage advice."  
  
The only thing that kept the scene from being silent was the grumbling of  
the bus's engines and the snoring of the dolphin in the seat across the  
aisle. Odd, Skeet thought. He had heard that dolphins don't sleep.  
  
Looking around, Skeet found that everyone else except the bus driver was  
sound asleep. Even the bat sitting toward the back of the bus was asleep.  
  
"Are you scared?"  
  
It took a moment for Skeet to realize that it was the kitten in front of him  
that was talking. There was something... not kitten-like about her voice.  
  
"No," Skeet said, although something in the back of his mind reasoned that  
if he was being asked such a question there was probably good reason to be  
and began to change the real answer to yes. "Why?"  
  
"There have been reports of people mysteriously disappearing lately, and  
they were all last seen riding this bus."  
  
"You watch the news a lot?"  
  
The kitten nodded.  
  
"Well, don't worry," Skeet said. "I'll make sure nothing bad happens to  
you."  
  
"Thanks, but you won't have to," the kitten said as the bus slowed down and  
pulled over. "This is my stop. You should be more worried about yourself,  
stripes."  
  
"What?"  
  
The kitten jumped off her seat and scampered off the bus. Skeet stood up to  
follow a moment later, but the bus started moving abruptly and he fell back  
into his seat.  
  
Skeet resigned himself to waiting for the bus to arrive at his stop. He felt  
himself drifting again and snapped back awake. Looking out the window, he  
noticed that he was now in an unfamiliar part of town.  
  
Taking into account what the kitten had told him, he rang the bell. The  
driver ignored it and drove past the next stop. He rang it a few more times,  
but the driver just turned it off.  
  
"Hey!" Skeet called out to the driver.  
  
If the driver had heard him, he wasn't showing any signs of it.  
  
"You passed my stop!" Skeet tried again. "Let me off!"  
  
Nothing.  
  
Skeet got up and approached the driver.  
  
"Excuse me," Skeet said. "I need to get off now."  
  
The driver ignored him.  
  
"I know you can hear me. You turned off the bell. I want to get off the bus  
now!"  
  
The driver made a terrific show of ignoring him completely.  
  
"Hey, listen to me!" Skeet insisted, grabbing him by the shoulder. The  
driver forcibly grabbed him back and threw him all the way to the back of  
the bus where he inadvertently woke up the bat that had been sleeping there.  
  
"What the f-" the bat started, unwrapping his wings from around him and  
folding them under his arms. There wasn't time to finish his obscenity, as a  
glowing portal opened in front of the bus. The bus drove through the portal,  
filling the entire vehicle with brilliant, white light.  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
"Hey! Wake up!"  
  
"Wha?"  
  
Skeet sat up and rubbed his head. He had hoped that it was all a dream, but  
the pain that still lingered from when he collided with the back of that bus  
assured him otherwise.  
  
"How ya doin'?"  
  
"Fine, I guess. My head kinda hurts, though. You got any asprin?"  
  
"What's asprin?"  
  
Skeet opened one of his eyes. He found himself in a sylvan glen full of  
funny-looking trees and plants. Before him sat a pink, feathery ball-like  
bird-creature hovering in the air in front of him.  
  
"Mornin'," the creature said with a broad grin.  
  
Skeet's immediate reaction was to scoot back a couple feet until he hit a  
tree and brandish his tail at the bizarre creature.  
  
"Whoa, hey!" the creature exclaimed. "It's cool, okay? Just chill!"  
  
"Where am I?" Skeet demanded.  
  
"DigiWorld," the creature said. "Duh."  
  
"DigiWorld?"  
  
"Man, you really are a newbie. I thought you might've been a Digimon, but I  
guess not. What are you, anyway? A badger?"  
  
"I'm a skunk."  
  
"A SKUNK? The other guys get a cat, a bat, and a dolphin, and I get stuck  
with the skunk?"  
  
"You got something against skunks?"  
  
"No, no, no! You polecats are all right! Just put that tail away, all right?  
I'm friendly! Really!"  
  
Skeet realized he was still holding his tail like a fire hose and let it go.  
  
"Sorry," he apologized. "You said there were others here?"  
  
"Yep," the creature confirmed.  
  
"Can you take me to them?"  
  
"Sure. Just follow me. By the way, the name's Poromon."  
  
"I'm Skeet. Skeet Unk."  
  
"Ha! I get it!"  
  
"Get what?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Skeet followed Poromon through the woods. They suddenly heard a scream and  
hurried towards its source. They arrived at a clearing just in time to see  
Kelly claw her way up a tree in a panic. A pink, flower-bud-like creature  
sat at the foot of the tree and watched her climb.  
  
"What?" the creature asked. "Is it my breath? I might be able to find some  
mint around here if my breath smells too bad for you!"  
  
"What's that?" Skeet asked.  
  
"That's Yokomon," Poromon answered. "Probably one of the nicest Digimon  
you'd ever hope to meet."  
  
"Hey! Get out of my tree!" a gruff voice demanded. Kelly let out a brief  
yelp as she tumbled out of the tree and landed in a crouching position on  
the ground. The bat Skeet had run into on the bus soon followed along with a  
living flame at his heels.  
  
"That wasn't very nice of you, Carl," the flame said. "And it's not just  
your tree."  
  
"You leave me alone, too, DemiMeramon," the bat, Carl, replied while wearing  
a rather teed-off look. "It's not like I pushed her out. She fell."  
  
Upon seeing DemiMeramon, Kelly toppled over backwards and scooted away as  
quickly as possible. She backed up all the way to where the dolphin was  
standing and examining his PDA. She looked up and saw the dolphin looking  
down at her with a gray, cat-head-like thing on his shoulder.  
  
Kelly immediately jumped to her feet.  
  
"Whoa," the dolphin said. "Calm down. We're all colleagues here. I'm Aniello  
Disraeli, but my friends call me 'Dizzy.' And this here is Kapurimon."  
  
"Charmed, I'm sure," Kapurimon said, offering a raccoon-like tail in  
greeting.  
  
"Wh-where am I?" Kelly asked. "Is this some sort of dream?"  
  
"... Or maybe a vision?" Dizzy offered. "No, this is real. Trust me."  
  
"Of course you'd know," Carl argued. "Everyone knows that dolphins don't  
sleep or dream."  
  
"We sleep," Dizzy shot back. "And we dream, too! We dream things you  
wouldn't imagine!"  
  
"I don't think that's important right now, guys," Skeet interrupted. "What's  
important is that we find a way out of here and back home."  
  
"And just who are you?" Carl asked.  
  
"I'm Skeet Unk, and we're going to have to work together if we're to make it  
out of here alive."  
  
"Well, I'm Carl Lagosi, and I say I don't need any of you, so bug off!"  
  
"Yeah, bug off!" DemiMeramon said as he followed Carl into the forest. "We  
don't need you! We don't need any of you!"  
  
"I though I told you to leave me alone!"  
  
"Aw, c'mon, Carl! You'll NEED me! I'm indispensable!"  
  
The others watched as the two argued until they were out of sight.  
  
"This may not be the time to bring it up," Dizzy said, pocketing his PDA.  
"But I'm pretty sure aliens are behind this."  
  
"What?" Skeet asked.  
  
"You know, extra-terrestrials. They've plucked us off our home planet to  
perform horrific tests on us and left us on this strange, alien planet.  
Look! The flora and definitely the fauna are nothing like the plants and  
animals we have back home! And I seriously doubt a normal city bus would've  
taken us here."  
  
"Well, you've got a point there..."  
  
At that moment, Carl literally flew by them like... well, a bat out of hell.  
DemiMeramon was not too far behind and skidded to a halt in front of the  
others.  
  
"RUN!!!" he exclaimed. "RUN AND RUN AND RUN SOME MORE!!!"  
  
"What's going on?" Poromon asked.  
  
"There's Monochromon, SO YOU SHOULD RUN!!" DemiMeramon exclamatorily  
explained. "There's an entire herd, WHICH MEANS YOU SHOULD RUN!!! And  
they're all stampeding this way, A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU DEFINITELY! MUST!  
RUN!!! Did I mention that you should run? 'Cause I highly recommend the  
running."  
  
The ground began to shake.  
  
"Something tells me we should run," Yokomon said.  
  
"Good thinking," DemiMeramon said.  
  
As the Monochromon crashed into the clearing, the assembled creatures fled.  
Somehow catching up with Carl, they continued fleeing until they came across  
a cave that appeared beside the way they were running.  
  
"Quick! In here!" Kapurimon said. They all ducked into the cave as the  
Monochromon thundered by.  
  
"That was a close one," Kelly said.  
  
"Good thing we found this cave," agreed Skeet.  
  
Suddenly, golden light emanated from the back of the cave. They all turned  
to see four shining coins set into the cave wall. The coins slowly dislodged  
themselves and floated over to the four non-Digimon.  
  
"I think this might be a good thing," DemiMeramon said.  
  
"Take them," Poromon urged, indicating the coin with curled lines before  
Skeet. "I think they've chosen you."  
  
Almost mesmerized, Skeet grabbed the coin. Kelly plucked a coin with a leaf  
etched on it out of the air. Dizzy took the coin with a sword on it. Carl's  
coin bore a shadowy visage.  
  
The coins grew brighter, the light shining through the fingers of their  
holders. The Digimon began to spin, slowly at first but soon picking up  
speed.  
  
"Poromon, digivolve to..."  
  
"Hawkmon!" proclaimed the bandana-wearing hawk that stood where Poromon once  
was.  
  
"Yokomon, digivolve to..."  
  
"Floramon!" a plant-like lizard that used to be Yokomon said.  
  
"DemiMeramon, digvolve to..."  
  
"Tapirmon!" the fading tapir announced.  
  
"Kapurimon, digivolve to..."  
  
"Kokuwamon!" buzzed an electronic stag beetle.  
  
Skeet, Kelly, Carl and Dizzy gawked in amazement at their Digimon's new  
forms. This like was nothing they had ever seen before. Nothing in  
reality, at least.  
  
"Woo!" exclaimed Tapirmon. "I told you this was a good thing!"  
  
"Astounding," Dizzy remarked. "A complete transmogrification into a new  
physical manifestation."  
  
"What?" asked Kelly.  
  
"They changed," Dizzy answered.  
  
"No duh, Sherlock," Carl quipped.  
  
"To be precise," said Hawkmon. "We digivolved."  
  
"Digi-what?" Kelly asked.  
  
"Digivolved," Kokuwamon explained. "Normally, it's a slow process in which  
we grow and change over time into more powerful forms."  
  
"But those coins you got speed it up," Tapirmon continued. "They took some  
of your energy and passed it on to us."  
  
"You could say we digivolved just for you," finished Floramon.  
  
"Intriguing," Dizzy said. "Can you do it again?"  
  
"Maybe," Kokuwamon answered. "If the situation was right. I don't know if  
we could it right this second."  
  
"Whatever," Carl said. He turned and walked out of the cave. "Those  
Mono-whatsits are gone now, and so am I."  
  
"Wait for me!" Tapirmon called out as he floated after Carl. "Don't you  
see? It's destiny!"  
  
"Shut up and leave me alone!" Carl scolded.  
  
"About Tapirmon," said Skeet. "Is he...?"  
  
"Not at all," Hawkmon replied. "He's just a little too excited to be  
partnered with a... whatever you collectively call yourselves."  
  
"I see," Skeet said.  
  
"The important thing is, you're going to need us survive," Floramon said.  
"We know the lay of the land better, what's dangerous and what's not."  
  
"And we can take care of the dangerous stuff for ya," Kokuwamon said,  
hovering around Dizzy's shoulder. "We got yer back, yo!"  
  
"Erm, yes," Dizzy said. "Good."  
  
"Maybe we should get Carl back," Kelly suggested. "You know, make sure he's  
alright."  
  
"Yes, there's way too much exposition in here," Hawkmon agreed.  
  
"Right, let's get out of here," said Skeet.  
  
They didn't have to go far to find Carl. He and Tapirmon were tied up and  
lying on the ground outside the cave. They immediately rushed to them and  
untied them from their bindings.  
  
"Carl!" Skeet exclaimed. "What hap..? Ew. What is this stuff you've been  
wrapped up in?"  
  
"It's spider's silk," Carl explained. "From the giant spider hanging above  
the cave!"  
  
The giant spider dropped to the ground, blocking the cave's entrance. Its  
eight eyes gleamed as it laughed evilly.  
  
"Oh, my! That's Dokugumon!" Hawkmon exclaimed. "We best be wary of his  
poison thread attack, as it can drain us of our energy!"  
  
"I bet we can take him down, easy!" Tapirmon said as he got back up.  
  
"I don't know," Kelly said. "He's kinda big."  
  
"You know what they say," Floramon said. "The bigger they are..."  
  
"...The larger the impact crater they make!" Kokuwamon finished. "Mini  
Shocker!"  
  
Kokuwamon let loose an electric attack with his claws that lashed out at  
Dokugumon. It didn't even leave a burn mark.  
  
"En garde, ye knave!" Hawkmon called out. "Feather Blade!"  
  
Hawkmon pulled a feather off his head and threw it like a dagger at the  
giant spider. The feather flew straight and true and ricocheted right off  
Dokugumon's exoskeleton.  
  
"Deleting Virus!" Tapirmon called.  
  
Tapirmon exhaled a cloud of black dust. Eye opened all over it and set  
their sights on Dokugumon. It flew towards the aggressor, who blew at it  
and make it go away.  
  
"Oh, C'mon!" the Dokugumon said. "This is pathetic!"  
  
"Pathetic this!" Floramon returned. "Stamen Rope!"  
  
The stamens on Floramon's hand/flowers extended quickly, lashing out at  
Dokugumon. Dokugumon blinked, effectively countering the attack.  
  
"Whatever," Dokugumon said. "I'm hungry, and you're gonna be the main  
course! POISON COBWEB!"  
  
Dokugumon spat out threads of steel-strong silk at Skeet, Dizzy, Kelly and  
Carl. The four of them tried to run, but the webbing wrapped around them  
quickly and they fell to the ground.  
  
"Uh, oh," Hawkmon said. "Looks like we'll have to combine our attacks! Put  
all you've got into it! Feather Blade!"  
  
"Mini Shocker!"  
  
"Deleting Virus!"  
  
"Stamen Rope!"  
  
The four attacks streaked towards the foe, striking him in the face.  
Dokugumon really took notice when his head caught on fire.  
  
"GAH! My eyes!" Dokugumon shrieked. "They burn!"  
  
"I think it's working!" Floramon exclaimed.  
  
"Then let's have at him!" Hawkmon declared. "Feather Blade!"  
  
"Stamen Rope!"  
  
"Deleting Virus!"  
  
"Mini Shocker!"  
  
The attacks slammed into the vile arachnid yet again, adding to the flames.  
Dokugumon put them out with a shake of his head.  
  
"Now you're in for it!" Dokugumon screamed. "POISON THREAD!"  
  
Dokugumon spat out more threads, this time wrapping around the Digimon. The  
fell to the ground covered from head to toe in spider silk like their  
partners.  
  
"That's what I thought!" Dokugumon spat out. He turned around and silk  
cords shot out from the spinnerets on his posterior that hooked onto the  
silken cocoons.  
  
"I'm really gonna enjoy slowly sucking out your vital fluids," Dokugumon  
said as he dragged his catch back to his web. "Especially after what you  
did to my face. Man, my eyes are gonna be itchy and watery for a week! You  
're totally gonna pay for that!"  
  
  
  
Looks like our heroes lost this battle. Heck, they didn't even get away!  
Will our heroes escape from Dokugumon's web?  
Will they squash this spidery foe?  
Or will they wind up a tasty treat that's fun to eat?  
  
Tune in next time, but until then...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  



	2. Vee Is For Victory

Skeet: That tears it. When I get back home, I'm getting a car. The bus I was taking home went into a mysterious portal and I wound up in a strange land. I, as well as Dizzy the dolphin, Kelly the cat and Carl the bat, found myself partnered with strange creatures called Digimon. After being chased by stampeding Monochromon we found special coins that allowed our Digimon to Digivolve. We also found trouble in the form of Dokugumon, a giant spider Digimon that trapped us in his webbing and took us home for dinner... and not as guests, either. Is this the end of our lovable skunk hero? As if!  
  
  
"Vee Is For Victory" by Chet "Tech" Weaver  
  
  
"I must say, this is a rather disappointing turn of events," Hawkmon said.  
  
"What did we expect?" Kokuwamon said. "We're only rookies, after all."  
  
"If only I were a Champion-level Digimon," Floramon said. "Then I'd shove a footprint into his thorax!!"  
  
"I know I wanted to surf the web, but this is ridiculous!" Dizzy commented.  
  
"All this hanging upside down is making the blood rush into my head," Kelly complained.  
  
"Yep, I'm gonna have some good eatin' tonight," Dokugumon said. "I'm gonna have some chicken... Gonna have some bat wings... Gonna have some tuna..."  
  
"Excuse me, but I am not a tuna," Dizzy said. "I'm a dolphin, thank you very much."  
  
"... Gonna have some tuna... Now where did I leave it? AH!"  
  
After searching through a nearby cupboard, Dokugumon pulled out a giant peppershaker and began to shake out a lot of black pepper onto Hawkmon.  
  
"My good man," Hawkmon said with a sneeze. "I must ask you to desist immediately."  
  
"Hey, you gotta have your seasonings," Dokugumon said.  
  
"Black pepper?" Skeet noted. "You call black pepper a seasoning? Don't you know how to prepare a proper meal?"  
  
"Yes," Dokugumon said indignantly. Then after a moment of thought he added, "No. Look, black pepper's all I got. If you don't like it, that's too bad. This is my meal, and you're just the main course."  
  
"C'mon. An event like this, you can afford to gussy it up a little."  
  
"Whadda ya mean?"  
  
"Well, it can't be every day you catch a meal this big. Am I right or am I right?"  
  
"Well, uh, yeah."  
  
"Then you should splurge a little. Get some good seasonings and make yourself a Fine meal."  
  
"But I don't know how to cook! I usually just wrap them in webbing and drain their bodily fluids."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you how to do it."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"All right! What do I do first?"  
  
"First, you oughtta buy a few things at the store. You might want to write this down..."  
  
Skeet rattled off a long list of ingredients to Dokugumon. Having failed to commit them to memory, he got out a note pad and had Skeet dictate the list to him again. He then immediately scuttled off into the forest to find the nearest store.  
  
"How long do you think it'll take him to get back from the store?" Skeet asked.  
  
"To get back from the what?" Hawkmon asked with a perplexed look.  
  
"Never mind," Skeet answered. He then began struggling underneath his bindings. "If I can just reach my pocketknife, I might be able to cut myself free."  
  
"I'll help!" Tapirmon said as he dematerialized, leaving behind an empty web-sack. He rematerialized next to Skeet and sprayed some of his deleting virus on the webbing that bound him. It deleted, allowing Skeet to move around freely as Tapirmon disappeared back into his cocoon.   
  
"You were able to do that this whole time?" Carl demanded.  
  
"I guess," Tapirmon answered. "It's not something I could've done as DemiMeramon, but I was able to it now."  
  
"That must've been your Waking Dream move," Kokuwamon said. "It allows him to move in and out of reality and move through stuff."  
  
"Great," Skeet said. "Now why don't you help me get everyone else free?"  
  
"Aye yi, Cap'n!" Tapirmon said, freeing himself again.  
  
  
"See?" a Gatomon said as a nearby monitor showed Skeet and the others freeing each other from the webbing and making their escape. "I told ya that they'd get themselves out of Dokugumon's web, buff-stuff. You should have more faith in me."  
  
"It's Dokugumon's wrath that worries me," a Leomon replied, irritated by the Gatomon's remark. He took a sip of his coffee. "You know how he gets when his dinner gets the better of him."  
  
"They should have plenty of time," the Gatomon said. "It'll be a while before he realizes most of that stuff doesn't even grow on this island."  
  
"Dokugumon's daft as a bush, but ravenous nonetheless," a Wizardmon technician paraphrased from his post at the control board.  
  
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Everyone looked at each other confusedly. Their bunker was too well hidden for anyone to find it.  
  
"You didn't order pizza again, did you?" the Leomon asked.  
  
"No," the Gatomon answered. "I gotta watch my girlish figure, don't'cha know."  
  
Leomon answered the door. On the other side was Dokugumon.  
  
"You guys wouldn't happen to know where I can find this stuff, would ya?" Dokugumon asked, handing Leomon the list.  
  
"Do you want to tell him, or should I?" Leomon asked Gatomon.  
  
  
  
Kelly's ears perked up and she stopped in her tracks. Skeet, noticing that Kelly stopped, also stopped. Carl and Dizzy had already stopped. Their Digimon, wondering why they stopped, stopped as well. They looked off into the forest the way they came.  
  
"What's going on?" Hawkmon asked.  
  
"You guys hear something?" Skeet asked.  
  
"I think it's that spider-monster," Kelly replied.  
  
"Dokugumon," Carl added. "And he doesn't sound happy."  
  
"How can you tell?" Tapirmon asked.  
  
"Bat hearing," Carl answered, indicating his oversized ears. "Very advanced."  
  
"Dokugumon's on the rampage," Dizzy reported. "He's hungry, angry, and heading right for us. He'll be here in about a minute. Dolphin hearing. Incredibly advanced. I can count the number of fillings he has from here."  
  
"You brag worse than your breath," Carl retorted.  
  
"You started it," Dizzy argued.  
  
"Settle it later," Skeet said. "We need to get out of here, fast."  
  
"We can hide in here," Kokuwamon said. He literally flew into a tree. The others followed and found themselves in a metal cylinder about the size of a phone booth.  
  
"What is this?" Kelly asked.  
  
"It's a hiding tree, of course," Floramon answered.  
  
Dizzy shushed them. "He's coming."  
  
Everyone remained silent as Dokugumon stomped into the vicinity. He stopped and looked around.  
  
"C'mout, c'mout, wherever you are," the spider-monster taunted. He looked to the ground, spying their footprints. "I know you're here. You couldn't've gotten much farther."  
  
He stomped over to their tree and examined it. Dizzy took a step back. Carl looked tense. Their abilities of echolocation allowed them to sense Dokugumon's actions.  
  
"Tracks end here," Dokugumon growled. "I'd bet your HIDING IN THIS TREE!"  
  
Dokugumon leapt at the tree. Dizzy tripped and fell backwards. Carl practically jumped.   
  
At the top of the tree, Dokugumon looked around. He found nothing hiding among the foliage. No Digimon. No funny-looking animals. Nothing.  
  
"Consarn it!" complained Dokugumon. He dropped from the tree and stomped away. "Where are they!?"  
  
Moments later, Dizzy stopped holding his breath.  
  
"He's gone," he reported.   
  
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and filed out of the tree. Carl flew up and hung from a branch by his feet. Everyone else slumped to the ground.  
  
"Man, I'm pooped," Skeet said.  
  
"That's Dokugumon's Poison Thread attack," Hawkmon explained. "Like I said, it drains you of your energy. I could go for some food myself."  
  
Glancing up, he noticed some fruit hanging from the tree. He flew up, plucked a piece off the branch, and bit into it.  
  
"Mmm," he noted. "Juicy."  
  
The other Digimon gathered at the base of the tree as Hawkmon sat down on a branch.  
  
"Pass some down here, Hawkmon!" Floramon requested.  
  
"I can't," Hawkmon called down. "This is mana fruit! You have to eat it right off the branch or it spoils! You'll have to come up here!"  
  
"No prob," Kokuwamon said, flying up into the tree.  
  
"Hey!" Floramon exclaimed. "Not all of us can fly, you know!"  
  
"Yeah!" Tapirmon added, fading out. "Some of us have to teleport."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Tapirmon faded back in.  
  
"I'm sorry, do you need help getting up?" Tapirmon offered.  
  
"No, I'll do it myself!" Floramon said, visibly annoyed. "Stamen Rope!"  
  
The stamens on Floramon's flower-hands extended, latching onto branch. The stamens retracted, hauling Floramon up with them.  
  
"Okay, be that way," Tapirmon said, using his Waking Dream move to get up into the tree. He plucked a piece of fruit with is prehensile snout and floated over to Carl.  
  
"What do you want?" Carl demanded.   
  
"Want some fruit?" Tapirmon asked. "They're real good, but you have to eat them fast or they... Oops. This one already went bad. I'll get you another one."  
  
"Never mind," Carl rejected. He let go of the branch he was hanging from and flew off. "I'll get my own food."  
  
"Carl! Wait up!" Tapirmon said as he floated after him.  
  
"I said leave me alone!" Carl scolded.  
  
Meanwhile, Skeet had climbed up the tree to try some of the fruit the Digimon were enjoying so much.  
  
"Can I try some?" he asked.  
  
"If you can find some," Kokuwamon said.  
  
"The stuffed turkey ate most of them," Floramon added.  
  
"Hawkmon..." Skeet said disapprovingly.  
  
"I'm sorry," Hawkmon said. "But with the digivolving and the fighting and the poison thread, it has made me so hungry and the fruit is so good. I couldn't help myself."  
  
Skeet sighed and looked around the tree.  
  
"I think I see some more fruit a bit higher up," he said. "I think your off the hook for now. Just remember to mind your manners next time."  
  
"I don't know if those fruit are ripe yet," Floramon noted as Skeet climbed up higher.  
  
"Right now, I'm too hungry to care," Skeet said.  
  
Gaining the required height, Skeet reached out and grabbed some fruit. He bit into it, allowing the juice to flow through his muzzle.  
  
"Hey! This is pretty good," he called down. "You guys oughtta try this! It's really good."  
  
"I can't!" Kelly called back up. "I'm a carnivore!"  
  
"Yeah, we can't handle fruits and vegetables!" Dizzy added.  
  
"Well, that sucks," Skeet said. "Maybe if you find Carl, he'll share what he's caught."  
  
"I dunno," Kelly said. "He doesn't really seem to be the sharing type."  
  
"Why dine out when you can eat in here!" Dokugumon suddenly burst through the tree's foliage, knocking everyone out of it. "You think I don't know where all the hiding trees are? I was a Rookie once too, y'know!"  
  
"Well, now you're just a big, fat loser!" Floramon shot back. "Stamen Rope!"  
  
Floramon whipped her stamens in Dokugumon's direction. They didn't even reach all the way before hitting the ground and slowly retracting back.  
  
"What happened!?" Floramon exclaimed.  
  
"Mini Shocker!" Kokuwamon called out. His claws charged with energy, but instead of releasing a bolt of electricity he fell out of the air like a sack of doorknobs and landed at Dizzy's feet. "I think my battery light just went out..."  
  
Dokugumon laughed. "You guys stink worse than last time!"  
  
"Feather Blade!" Hawkmon announced. He threw his feather at Dokugumon and it poked him in the eye before returning.  
  
"OW!" Dokugumon exclaimed. "For the luva..."  
  
"Rain of Pol-" Floramon swung her hands towards the spider Digimon to release a cloud of pollen at him, but instead her stomach rumbled. She plopped onto the ground, clutching her belly with a grimace.  
  
"Floramon!" Kelly called out, rushing to her Digimon partner's side. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I didn't eat enough," she said. "Now I'm too hungry to fight... Hawkmon!"  
  
"I said I was sorry!" Hawkmon said as he dodged one of Dokugumon's attacks. "What more do you want from me!?"  
  
"How about lunch?" Dokugumon asked. "Poison Cobweb!"  
  
From Dokugumon's mouth sprayed silky threads that covered Hawkmon. Encased once again, Hawkmon toppled to the ground.  
  
"Hawkmon!" Skeet exclaimed. He rushed to his side and stood between him and Dokugumon.  
  
"Ah, the appetizer!" Dokugumon taunted.  
  
"Eat this!" Skeet shot back. He swung his tail around and let loose from it an acidic spray. Dokugumon shrieked as the musk hit his eyes.  
  
"You sonuva..." Dokugumon growled before letting out a primal yell and thrashing his head about.  
  
"Are you okay, Hawkmon?" Skeet asked as he picked up his fallen partner.  
  
"I'm fine," Hawkmon said. "But you've got to use that coin. It's the only way to defeat Dokugumon now!"  
  
"The coin?" Skeet asked. He pulled the coin out of his pocket and looked at it.  
  
"It got me to Rookie level," Hawkmon said. "It must be able to take me to Champion as well!"  
  
"But how?" Skeet asked.  
  
Dokugumon took the opportunity to focus his attention back to Skeet and ram into him headfirst. The attack sent him and Hawkmon sprawling to the ground, but the coin he was holding flew into the air.  
  
Everything seemed to pause as the coin flipped. It rose into the air slowly until it reached the apex of its leap. There it hung in midair, spinning faster and faster. The air around it turned dark as the coin itself began to glow brightly and emit a high-pitched whine. For the briefest moment, it stopped, with the designed side facing Hawkmon. The coin gleamed before exploding into energy that streaked down into Hawkmon. The energy struck, and the bird Digimon began to glow and grow.  
  
"Hawkmon, digivolve to..."  
  
Hawkmon's form grew to stand taller than Dokugumon. His girth and tail grew, and his head sloped and developed long horns. As the glow faded, blue and white scales replaced his brown feathers. A blue "V" shape appeared on his white chest.  
  
"VEEDRAMON!"  
  
"Veedramon!?" Dokugumon exclaimed.  
  
"Veedramon," Skeet noted.  
  
"Astounding," Dizzy said.  
  
"That's right, Veedramon!" Veedramon proclaimed. "The blue dragon of the Wind Guardian Kingdom! You're in big trouble now, Dokugumon! My Hammer Punch packs quite a wallop, as does my powerful V-Nova Blast!"  
  
"Well, it's nice of you to super-size it for me!" Dokugumon declared as he lunged for Veedramon. The blue dragon countered with a punch to the gut. Dokugumon flew back and landed on his feet. "POISON THREAD!"  
  
Veedramon rolled to avoid the attack.  
  
"V-NOVA BLAST!"  
  
Veedramon reared his head back as energy gathered in his mouth. He then unleashed a v-shaped blast that exploded at Dokugumon's feet, throwing him into the air. Veedramon leapt up after him.  
  
"HAMMER PUNCH!"  
  
Putting his fists together, Veedramon slammed them down on Dokugumon's head. The force was added to that of his drop, driving him headfirst into the ground like a tent stake. Veedramon landed next to him.  
  
The energy leaped out of Veedramon, leaving Hawkmon in his place. It flowed into Skeet's hands, where it reformed into a coin.  
  
"Is he...?" asked Kelly.  
  
"He's just unconscious," Hawkmon replied. "Might I suggest that we get as far away as possible before he awakes?"  
  
"Yeah," agreed Skeet. "We better find Carl and Tapirmon, too. We're getting out of this forest, and I'm not leaving anyone behind."  
  
  
"Well," Leomon said as the group on the screen went off to find Carl. "Looks like I owe you a TokaCola."  



	3. Troubled Waters

Kelly: I can't believe we were almost eaten by that spidery Dokugu-monster thing. Skeet was able to trick him so we could escape, but it wasn't long before he found us again! Hawkmon became Veedramon and knocked him out, but I get the feeling that there's more trouble on the way...  
  
  
  
"Troubled Waters" by Chet "Tech" Weaver  
  
  
"I don't see why I need to hang around with dopes like you," Carl grumbled as he trudged on through the forest.  
  
"There's safety in numbers," Skeet explained. "We'll be more likely to survive if we stick together."  
  
"That and the fact that we just can't get enough of your sparkling personality," Dizzy said.  
  
"Shut your trap, tuna-breath," Carl said. "I wasn't talking to you."  
  
"I'm exercising my right to free speech," Dizzy countered.  
  
"If you don't shut up, I'm gonna exercise my fists on your head!" Carl threatened.  
  
"I'd like to see you try," Dizzy commented.  
  
"Guys! Guys!" Skeet stepped between the two. "Stop it, alright? We don't need this!"  
  
"He's right," accepted Dizzy. He held out his hand with an exaggerated grin. "Let's be friends. Friends?"  
  
Carl slapped the hand away.  
  
"I may have to stick around with you, but I don't have to like you," Carl said.  
  
"Ooh," remarked Kelly. Everyone looked to where she was standing.  
  
They had stopped at a spot where trees had parted. This gave way to a spectacular view of a beautiful lake. The water reflected the brilliant yellows, reds, and purples of the sunset.  
  
"It's beautiful," Kelly added breathlessly.  
  
"Yeah, isn't it?" Floramon agreed, leaning against her partner and putting an arm around her waist.  
  
"I guess this is as good a place as any to set up camp," Skeet said.  
  
"I wholeheartedly agree," said Hawkmon.  
  
"I bet there's plenty of fish in there," Kokuwamon suggested.  
  
"I hope so, I'm starving," Dizzy said. He took a deep breath and plunged his head underwater. About twenty minutes later, he pulled his head out and said, "It's a smorgasbord down there!"  
  
"Great," Skeet said. "I'll go find a stick and make a fishing rod out of it with a shoelace."  
  
"Forget that!" said Dizzy as he took off his shirt. "I'm goin' in! Kokuwamon, hold my wallet and my PDA."  
  
With the robot beetle Digimon holding the requested items, Dizzy dove into the water.  
  
"Save some for the rest of us!" Kelly called out.  
  
"I don't understand," Tapirmon said. "If dolphin hearing is so advanced, why would he need to... Hey, Carl! Where you going?"  
  
"For the luva... Leave me alone!" scolded Carl as he disappeared into the woods.  
  
"But you need us, and we need you!" Tapirmon said as he chased after him.  
  
Skeet decided to prepare for dinner by collecting firewood to cook with. Kelly attempted to catch some fish by the bank with her hands, but Dizzy pulled her into the water playfully. She spent the rest of the night as far away from the water as possible, wrapped in a black towel that Dizzy happened to bring with him. After everyone else had eaten and dried off, Carl and Tapirmon returned with the former wiping red liquid off his lips. That creeped everyone else out.  
  
"Here's your towel back," Kelly said to Dizzy.  
  
"Nah, you keep it," Dizzy said. "Use it as a blanket."  
  
"Thank you," accepted Kelly.  
  
"What were you doing on a midtown bus carrying a towel?" Skeet asked.  
  
"You never know when you might find yourself stranded halfway across the galaxy by alien abductors," replied Dizzy with a shrug. "Besides, I had swimming in my P.E. class that day."  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
Gatomon uncurled and stretched herself out as best one could in an air duct. She preferred privacy while she slept, but felt no real need for her own quarters. She liked small spaces anyway and didn't keep anything that couldn't be hidden in her gloves.   
  
She dropped out of an air vent into the monitoring/control room and headed straight for the coffee machine.   
  
"Mornin' Big Boy," she said after noticing that the rest of the crew was already there.  
  
She didn't get a response. Glancing around, she noticed everyone else was staring transfixed at one of the monitors. She cleared her throat and everyone took notice and tried to look busy.  
  
Gatomon chuckled while pouring herself some coffee and said, "Watching Miss Kitty using the litter box again, huh?"  
  
"What? No, no," Leomon said. "Nothing like that."  
  
"She's just swimming naked, that's all," a Gotsumon technician said.  
  
Gatomon choked on the coffee she was drinking at that moment.  
  
"What?" she demanded.  
  
"Kelly had gotten up to bath before anyone else awoke," Wizardmon reported.  
  
"But she was already in the water last night," Gatomon said.  
  
"Big cats like the water," the Gotsumon said in an almost perverse tone.  
  
"Maybe she likes to get in some early-morning skinny-dipping," suggested Leomon.  
  
Gatomon rolled her eyes and asked, "What's everyone else doing?"  
  
"Most of them seem to be asleep," Wizardmon replied as he checked the other monitors. "Except for the Dolphin and Floramon. Dizzy has been on guard duty all night, but I can't tell if he's conscious or not. Not with these instruments, at least."  
  
"What about Flora?" Gatomon asked.  
  
"She also appears to be spying on the feline," Wizardmon said.  
  
"Is it just me, or is she just a little too over-protective?" Leomon observed.  
  
"I think she's more than protective," Gotsumon said.  
  
"You're all a bunch of perverts," Gatomon muttered. She walked over to the control panel and grabbed a microphone. "Hey, Marley. Give the girl a little privacy, why don't'cha?"  
  
The rest of the crew groaned in disappointment as Kelly disappeared from view.  
  
"Serves you punks right," Gatomon scolded. "She's only, what? Fifteen? Sixteen?"  
  
"That's legal age in some states," Gotsumon said. "And it's at least thirty in dog years."  
  
"And what if the Seadramon in that lake attacks?" Leomon offered.  
  
"I think we'll know when the Seadramon attacks," Gatomon said. Noticing the view getting a little shakey, she turned back to the microphone and said, "Both hands on the camera, Marley."  
  
  
Skeet woke up. He noticed someone was missing and that it wasn't Carl. He got up and walked over to where Dizzy was sitting on a rock.  
  
"Hey, Diz," Skeet said. "Where's Kelly?"  
  
Dizzy didn't answer.  
  
"Dizzy?"  
  
Skeet took a closer look at Dizzy. He was just sitting there, staring off into the distance. He LOOKED awake. He was even breathing normally. However, the dolphin was almost completely unresponsive.  
  
"Dizzy," Skeet said as he began prodding him with his finger. Dizzy eventually got up and walked out of Skeet's reach. "Huh."  
  
Skeet walked over to Dizzy and held a hand up to his face. Then he slowly moved it closer. He got pretty close before Dizzy snapped at his with his jaws.  
  
"Dizzy!" Skeet shouted.  
  
Dizzy snapped to attention, blinked, then looked at Skeet.  
  
"Did you have to interrupt me?" Dizzy asked. "I was having such a nice dream."  
  
"Dizzy, where's Kelly?" Skeet asked.  
  
Dizzy thought for a moment before replying, "I think she's in the lake taking a bath."  
  
"Will you two shut up?" Carl requested as he sat up. "Some of us are trying to sleep."  
  
Hawkmon got up and yawned.  
  
"Good morning everyone," he said.  
  
"Good morning!" Tapirmon cheerily said as he leapt up from his position of laying on his back.  
  
A few musical notes emitted from Kokuwamon as his consciousness booted up.  
  
"That's it," Carl said, getting up. "I'm outta here."  
  
Dizzy ran up to him to keep him from leaving.  
  
"Waitaminute!" he said. Then he turned his tone to something more coy as he continued, "Didn't somebody Kelly was taking a bath?"  
  
"Wasn't that you?" Skeet asked.  
  
"Yeeees, yes it was," Dizzy said. "And she's not that far away, too."  
  
"What's your point?" Kokuwamon asked.  
  
Dizzy rolled his eyes and said, "Uh, hello. Do I really have to spell it out for you? Cat girl? Taking a bath? In a lake?"  
  
"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then I like the way you think," Carl said with a smirk.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Skeet said. "You're going to watch her without her knowing? What's next? Pie humping?"  
  
"And you have a problem with that?" Dizzy asked.  
  
"I think it is best if we respect the young lady's privacy," Hawkmon said. "After all, she did leave before everyone else got up and if she even thought we were spying on her it would betray her trust. And without trust there's..."  
  
Hawkmon stopped when he noticed everyone else was walking off towards the lake.  
  
"Hey! Wait up!" Hawkmon said as he took off after them.  
  
"Hold it!" Floramon said. She jumped out of the bushes and slid to a stop in their path. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Busted," Tapirmon said.  
  
"We were just, uh, you know," Dizzy floundered.  
  
Floramon crossed her arms and tapped her foot.  
  
"No, I don't," she said. "Enlighten me."  
  
"We were just going for a walk," Skeet said.  
  
"Yes," agreed Hawkmon. "The lake so beautiful this time of... Oh. Oh dear."  
  
"What is it?" Skeet asked.  
  
"I can't believe I didn't recognize this place last night," Hawkmon replied. "I've been here before. This is Cache Lake and a terrible monster lives in its depths!"  
  
"What!?" Floramon exclaimed.  
  
"It's true!" Hawkmon said. "I'm not making this up! Kelly could be in mortal danger!"  
  
"Aw, man," Floramon lamented. "Okay, you guys stay here, I'll go warn..."  
  
By this time the water had begun to get choppy. There was a sound of something huge breaking the surface of the water, followed by the water cascading back down and a girl's scream.  
  
"It looks as if her privacy will have to take a back seat," Skeet said as he pulled his magic coin from his pocket. "Let's do it!"  
  
The coin flew into the air, transforming into energy before zooming into Hawkmon.  
  
"Hawkmon, digivolve to..."  
  
"VEEDRAMON!"  
  
They raced to the scene. Kelly had chosen a spot where the land abruptly stopped in a rocky ridge and gave way to chest-deep water. Here she was cornered, her back to the rocks, by a white creature that could only be described as a giant squid.  
  
"That's him!" Veedramon growled. "Gesomon, the monster of Cache Lake! His long tentacles are capable of bone-crushing strength with his Coral Crusher attack!"  
  
Gesomon slammed his arms into the water, sending a wave crashing over everyone and making Kelly scream with fright.  
  
"Veedramon!" Skeet called. "Keep him busy while I help Kelly."  
  
"Gotcha," Veedramon confirmed. He leapt into the air. "V-NOVA BLAST!"  
  
A "V" shaped blast of energy crashed into Gesomon, followed by the bulk of Veedramon. The squid Digimon was toppled and the two began wrestling in the water.  
  
Skeet ran up to Kelly and knelt down.  
  
"Kelly, grab my hand," he said, extending said hand. "I'll help you out of the water."  
  
"No," Kelly said. "I can't!"  
  
"ELASTIC ARMS!"  
  
Gesomon's arms wrapped around Veedramon's neck and began strangling him. The dragon Digimon tried to pry them off, but ended up being dunked under the water.  
  
"Why not?" Skeet demanded.  
  
"Because... because..." Kelly whimpered.  
  
"CORAL CRUSHER!"  
  
Veedramon wrapped in his tentacles, Gesomon lifted his opponent into the air and squeezed.  
  
"You have to get out of the water!" Skeet ordered. "Veedramon can't take much more!"  
  
"I can't!" Kelly replied. "I'm naked! I don't want anyone to see me naked!"  
  
There almost seemed to be a short pause as the revelation sank in.  
  
"Get out of the water!" Dizzy cheered.  
  
"Skeet..." Veedramon struggled. "... Hurry...!"  
  
Skeet looked around. Nearby was Kelly's clothing and the towel Dizzy had lent her last night. Skeet ran over, got the towel, and went back to Kelly.  
  
"Guys, turn around," Skeet told the others.  
  
"What?" asked Carl.  
  
"Why?" Dizzy added.  
  
"Just do it!" Skeet ordered. "All of you!"  
  
"Fine, fine," Kokuwamon said as he and the others turned around.  
  
"I brought you a towel," Skeet said to Kelly. "You can put it on."  
  
"Alright," accepted Kelly. "But you have to close your eyes and turn your head."  
  
Obligingly, Skeet did as requested. Kelly quickly climbed out of the water and wrapped the towel around herself.  
  
"... The coin..." Veedramon gasped. "...Use it... Kelly..."  
  
"My coin!" Kelly exclaimed. She ran over to the pile of clothes and took the coin out of the front pocket of her cut-off overalls. "Floramon, digivolve!"  
  
Everything seemed to pause as the coin flipped. It rose into the air slowly until it reached the height of its leap. There it hung in midair, spinning faster and faster. The air around it turned dark as the coin itself began to glow brightly and emit a high-pitched whine. For the briefest moment, it stopped, with the leaf-engraved side facing Floramon. The coin gleamed before exploding into energy that streaked down into Floramon. The energy struck, and the plant-lizard Digimon began to glow and grow.  
  
"Floramon, digivolve to..."  
  
Floramon's legs began to lengthen as her arms receded into her body. Her body expanded, becoming bird-like with a green plume on and a long beak on her head. In the place of the green-skinned Rookie Floramon stood the brown-feathered form of...  
  
"KIWIMON!"  
  
"Kiwimon may look small," Kokuwamon said, "But she's pretty fast. She can deal a lot of damage quickly with her Pummel Peck attack and can strike with her High Jumping Kick before you can blink!"  
  
"PUMMEL PECK!" Kiwimon called out. Out of her open beak flew smaller version of herself that struck Gesomon's tentacles. The DemiKiwimon sunk in, causing the squid to drop Veedramon.  
  
"You know," Dizzy said, "If we don't turn back around now, we'll miss all the action."  
  
"You haven't turned back around yet?" Carl asked.  
  
"ELASTIC ARMS!"  
  
Gesomon lashed out and churned up dirt as Kiwimon dashed out of the way. The ancient bird Digimon zoomed out over the lake, water spraying up in her wake.  
  
"Catch me if you can!" Kiwimon teased.  
  
Gesomon threw out his limbs again but Kiwimon proved hard to hit. Weaving and banking, Kiwimon was literally running circles around the squid. Gesomon tried to follow but got disorientated and lost track.  
  
"HIGH JUMPING KICK!"  
  
Kiwimon leapt forward, striking him in the side of the head and knocking him down.  
  
"Finish it, Veedramon!" Kiwimon called out as she raced back to shore.  
  
Veedramon caught Gesomon before he hit the water. He threw him into the air and doubled up his fists.  
  
"HAMMER PUNCH!"  
  
Veedramon swung as Gesomon came back down, sending him careening into the distance.  
  
"... and he's going... going..." Veedramon remarked.  
  
Gesomon landed in the forest over the horizon.  
  
"He's outta there!" finished Skeet.  
  
  
"That's what you get," Gatomon chided. "Think about THAT next time you want to sneak a peek."  
  
"I don't think anybody really learned anything from this," Wizardmon said. "If anything, this whole encounter isn't about anything other than gratuitous..."  
  
Just then the phone rang. Leomon answered it.  
  
"Hello, DM Voyeur Unit 1, Leomon speaking," he greeted. "Oh, hello sir. ... Yes, we're on the fifth group now. ... WHO's back!? ... No, no, no. W-we can't do that. ... What!? But, that's not enough time to... I see. ... Uh, huh. ... Okay. ... I'll get right on that. ... Bye."  
  
Everyone's wide-eyed attention was on Leomon as he hung up. He sighed heavily.  
  
"Leo...?" Gatomon asked.  
  
"This project..." Leomon began. He strained for a moment to hold back his emotions. Then, with a primeval roar, he drew his sword and swung it hard in frustration. The phone, and the desk it was on, was sliced neatly in two.  
  
"The schedule has been pushed up," he said, putting away his sword. "Release the Damocles."  
  
Everyone gasped.  
  
"The Damocles!?" Gotsumon exclaimed.  
  
"It's too soon!" Wizardmon protested. "We can't release the Damocles again at this early stage of testing! There hasn't been enough time to..."  
  
"I SAID DO IT!" Leomon roared.  
  
"You're the boss," Gotsumon said, spitting a key into his hands.  
  
"You know what you doing," Wizardmon complied, pulled a similar key out of his pocket.  
  
The two of them simultaneously placed the keys into the slots in front of them and turned them. The room went dark and was lit with the dull red of safety lights.  
  
"Damocles Launch System on-line," a computerized voice reported. "Awaiting authorization codes."  
  
"Authorization code: Leomon," Leomon stated. "Gemini omega ogre."  
  
"Authorization code confirmed," the voice accepted.  
  
"Authorization code: Gatomon," Gatomon said. "Theta pata sparky."  
  
"Authorization code confirmed," the voice repeated. "Voice patterns confirmed. Data scans confirmed. Access granted. Your command?"  
  
"Unlock Damocles," Leomon commanded.  
  
There was a loud click and the room began shaking. There was a low moan, like a dark soul being tortured.  
  
"That sound," shuddered Wizardmon. "I'll never get used to that."  
  
"Damocles unlocked," the computer confirmed.  
  
"Energize Damocles," Leomon ordered.  
  
There was deep hum and the room shook more violently. The moan grew more agonized and erupted into a wail.  
  
"Aw, man," Wizardmon groaned and winced. "It gets worse every time..."  
  
"Damocles energized," the computer confirmed.  
  
"Launch Damocles," commanded Leomon.  
  
The room shuddered as the sound of a medium-sized object being launched echoed in the chamber. The shaking ceased and the wail faded, turning into evil laughter. On one of the monitors Leomon could see a black object fly out of the forest. It streaked into a cloud, which turned black and flashing with internal lightning.  
  
"Damocles launched," the computer confirmed.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing, Leomon," Gatomon said.  
  
"Let's just hope this group is as good as you thought they'd be yesterday," Leomon said.  
  
  
These waters look troubled indeed!  
What is the Damocles?  
What was that mysterious phone call?  
What danger awaits our heroes?  
  
Tune in next time, but until then...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
  
  
  



	4. Dark Rain

Dizzy here. Our visit to the peaceful-looking Cache Lake proved to be not-so-peaceful once Gesomon reared his ugly head. Veedramon couldn't beat him alone, so Floramon digivolved to Kiwimon and together they kicked him into the next zip code. Meanwhile, our abductors released a dangerous force in response to a mysterious phone call. This Damocles could mean trouble...  
  
  
"Dark Rain" by Chet "Tech" Weaver  
  
  
"Are we there yet?" asked Dizzy.  
  
"No," replied Skeet.  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we-"  
  
"FOR THE LOVE OF GOURDS, WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP!?" Carl demanded.  
  
The group trudged on in silence.  
  
"Where ARE we going?" asked Kelly after a minute.  
  
"Crazy," Dizzy replied. "Care to join us?"  
  
"No, really, where are we going?" Kelly asked.  
  
"I'd like to know that, too," Carl said.  
  
"Well, I don't know where we're going," Skeet said. "What is in this direction, Hawkmon?"  
  
"I don't know what's in this direction," Hawkmon said. "I was following you. Kokuwamon?"  
  
"Beats me," Kokuwamon said. "Tapirmon?"  
  
"I think we're heading north," Tapirmon said. "Which means pretty much nothing if you don't know what's there. Floramon?"  
  
"Eh," replied Floramon.  
  
"I guess we'll know when we get there," Skeet said.  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud bang like thunder. Everyone looked around to see where the sound came from.  
  
"Look!" Kelly said. "The cloud!"  
  
A day ago, a black object streaked through the sky and implanted itself in a cloud. The cloud turned dark and silent. Until now, all it did was flash with internal lightning.  
  
"What's it doing?" asked Dizzy.  
  
Several black objects streaked through the sky, this time away from the cloud and arcing down to the ground. The earth shook as they hit.  
  
"Looks like one of them landed nearby," said Skeet. "Let's check it out!"  
  
"Wait, why?" asked Kelly. "It can't be anything good."  
  
"'Cause we're heading that way anyway," Skeet answered as the rest ran off.  
  
Carl stayed behind long enough to utter a "hmph" when Kelly glanced at him.  
  
"Wait up!" Kelly said, following everyone else.  
  
  
"They're heading right for it," Wizardmon said. "Why do they always head right for it?"  
  
"Better than waiting for it to come to them," Gotsumon replied.  
  
"It's the nature of all sentient life," Leomon said. "They need to know what the danger is before trying to deal with it."  
  
"Alright, studmuffin," Gatomon said. "I think it's about time you told us about that phone call. What's going on?"  
  
Leomon gave Gatomon a sidelong glance and took a deep breath.  
  
"That was the boss," he said. "To put it simply, he's not happy with the progress we've made and is demanding results. If we don't meet his deadline, the project's cancelled."  
  
"Dang," Gatomon remarked.  
  
"Exactly," Leomon continued. "I've put out to much effort into this project to let it go out with no less than a bang. If it'll fail, it might as well be a disaster."  
  
"But what about us!?" Wizardmon demanded. "The Damocles could very well destroy us all!"  
  
"It should be a while before it reaches full power," Leomon said. "If you guys want to leave, it's still safe to do so."  
  
Everyone was just quiet for a while. Wizardmon got up, but then noticed something on the screen.  
  
"They found the crash site," he reported.  
  
"Then action couldn't be too far behind," Leomon said. "I would watch before deciding to leave if I were you."  
  
  
"Something crashed here, alright," Skeet said as he surveyed the scene. A large crater had formed and the trees around it were knocked over. In the middle of the crater was a hole.  
  
"It's empty," Dizzy said. "Whatever crashed here has either been moved or left on it's own."  
  
"Are you sure?" Skeet asked. "We haven't even gone in the crater yet."  
  
"Dolphin sonar," Dizzy said. "I could count cumquats behind a sheet of steel seven..."  
  
"No one cares," Carl interrupted as he descended into the crater. After a bit of searching, he called back, "There's nothin' here."  
  
"Toldja," Dizzy said.  
  
"Now what?" Kelly asked.  
  
"There's no point sticking around here," Skeet said. "There aren't even any tracks leading away from the center of the crater, so I don't see us finding it anytime soon. If we are heading anywhere, we might as well keep going there."  
  
"Great," Carl groaned. "More walking."  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
Several green, caterpillar-like Digimon scampered through the underbrush. Panic filled them as they fled from their pursuer.  
  
"Keep running, Wormmon!" one of them urged.  
  
"I AM running!" another shot back.  
  
"It's gonna catch us," a third Wormmon cried. "Game over, man, game over!"  
  
"It can't get all of us!" the lead Wormmon said. "Let's split up, try to confuse it."  
  
"Great idea!" another agreed.  
  
"Go for it!" yet another said. All the Wormmon scattered in different directions.  
  
"AWAY from it!" one scolded. The Wormmon heading in the wrong direction turned and went back.  
  
Their pursuer glided to were the Wormmon split up. It was of no consequence to it which Wormmon were heading where. It had no thoughts about the kind of Digimon it was chasing. In fact, it had no thoughts. Period.  
  
It choose a Wormmon and went after it. Try as the larval Digimon might, he could not outrun what was chasing him. If it had any sort of empathy, it could practically taste the Wormmon's fear as he ran. If it had eyes, perhaps it would've seen the look of fear on his face as he realized he was cornered. If it had ears, it definitely would've heard the Wormmon's screams as it sped towards him.  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
"What was that?" Kokuwamon asked.  
  
"What was what?" Tapirmon asked.  
  
"Don't tell me you didn't hear that," Floramon said.  
  
"Hear what?" asked Tapirmon.  
  
"That shriek!" Hawkmon replied.  
  
"Oh, yeah, that," Tapirmon said. "I think it was a shriek."  
  
"Yeah, but what was it?" Carl asked.  
  
"It was a shriek," Tapirmon replied. "Duh."  
  
"Yeah, but what was shrieking?" Skeet inquired.  
  
Everyone looked at Dizzy.  
  
"What?" Dizzy asked.  
  
"You're always bragging about your advanced Dolphin sonar and hearing," Carl said. "Why don't you use your X-ray vision and tell us what's out there?"  
  
"I don't know what it is," Dizzy said.  
  
"But what about your radar or whatever?" Kelly asked.  
  
"Just because I know where it is, doesn't mean I know what it is," Dizzy explained. "Sure, I know that it's closing in rapidly at five o'clock high, but I don't know the name of the Digimon that undoubtedly will want to rend us limb from limb."  
  
"Can you tell us what it looks like?" Skeet asked.  
  
"Yeah," answered Dizzy, "But it'll be here by the time I finish this sentence so I don't see much point in it."  
  
An armored creature burst out of the trees and into open air above them, buzzing about erratically. Its exposed flesh was black, almost as black as most of its chestplate. Its gauntlets, shoes, thigh gaurds, mask and even wings had a fiery design, but where fire would be red, orange and yellow this creature's armor was black with dark blues and purples.  
  
"Is that a Shadramon?" gasped Hawkmon.  
  
"NNNnnnNNNnnot Shadramon!" the creature's nasal voice forced out. "DarkShadramon! DarkShadramon no like birdie-mon getting DarkShadramon's name wrong! DarkShadramon angry at birdie-mon!"  
  
"My good sir," Hawkmon chuckled nervously. "I'm sure we can talk this over..."  
  
"Yeah," Tapirmon said. "There's no need to utterly annihilate with your Flash Buster or Psychic Wave attacks."  
  
"DarkShadramon not consider utter annihilation," DarkShadramon said. "DarkShadramon just going to insist for apology from birdie-mon, but like smoky-butt's idea muuUUUUCH better!"  
  
"Way to go, dimwit," Floramon muttered, elbowing Tapirmon in the ribs. "Now we'll have to fight him."  
  
"You're welcome," beamed Tapirmon.  
  
"Get ready to digivolve, Hawkmon" Skeet said.  
  
"Right!" confirmed Hawkmon.  
  
"You too, Floramon," Kelly added.  
  
Floramon nodded.  
  
Skeet and Kelly's coins flew into the air, transforming into energy before zooming into their respective Digimon.  
  
"Hawkmon, digivolve to..."  
  
"VEEDRAMON!"  
  
"Floramon, digivolve to..."  
  
"KIWIMON!"  
  
"V-NOVA BLAST!" Veedramon announced. He let loose with a V-shaped blast of energy that DarkShadramon easily avoided.  
  
"PUMMEL PECK!" Kiwimon shot a rapid succession of DemiKiwimon that DarkShadramon ducked and wove around, taking little damage if any.  
  
"PSYCHIC WAVE!" DarkShadramon flung his arms out wide, unleasing a wave of psychic energy. Dirt flew everywhere as Veedramon and Kiwimon were knocked off their feet.  
  
"PUMMEL PECK!"  
  
"V-NOVA BLAST!"  
  
Yet again, the attacks missed their mark.  
  
"This isn't working!" Veedramon said.  
  
"This will!" Kiwimon insisted. "HIGH JUMPING KICK!"  
  
Kiwimon launched herself into the air, striking DarkShadramon across the jaw. The insectoid Digimon tumbled about in the air, babbling incoherently as it tried to find its bearings. It was eventually balanced, with the sun behind him. DarkShadramon brought up its gauntlets to its face.  
  
"FLASH BUSTER!"   
  
Bright light flashed from DarkShadramon's forehead. Unfortunately, everyone was watching him.  
  
"My eyes!" Veedramon roared.  
  
"They burn!" whined Kiwimon, squinting.  
  
"I can't see!" Kelly cried, covering her face.  
  
"Visual sensors off-line!" Kokuwamon reported.  
  
"I'm as blind as a bat!" Skeet exclaimed.  
  
"What did you say!?" Carl interrogated.  
  
"Sorry!" Skeet apologized. "I didn't mean anything by it!"  
  
"V-NOVA BLAST!"  
  
"PUMMEL PECK!"  
  
DarkShadramon didn't even have to dodge. The attacks were miles off.  
  
"DarkShadramon invincible!" DarkShadramon cheered.  
  
"How do we hit something we can't..." Veedramon was cut short as DarkShadramon began pummeling him with his gauntlets.  
  
"Veedramon?" asked Kiwimon. "Where is he!? Now I'm really gonna splat him!"  
  
DarkShadramon grabbed her and drove her into the ground with a pile driver. Kiwimon's legs flailed as she tried to get her beak out of the ground.  
  
"I think I can see now!" Veedramon proclaimed. A sharp whistle drew everyone's attention to the sky.  
  
"FLASH BUSTER!"  
  
"Not again!" complained Carl.  
  
"It's a deadly circle game and we're losing!" Skeet exclaimed.  
  
"PSYCHIC WAVE!"  
  
"Skeet! Kelly! Duck!" Dizzy called out. He tackled the young skunk and cat, knocking them out of the way of the blast.  
  
"You can still see?" Kelly asked.  
  
"I think it should be obvious by now that I'm using sonar," Dizzy replied. "Veedramon, watch it!"  
  
"What?" asked Veedramon, stepping out of the way of another Psychic Wave attack.  
  
"That's it!" Skeet said. "Dizzy, you can direct Veedramon and Kiwimon in battle!"  
  
"You're kidding right?" Carl said. "They couldn't hit that thing even when they could see it!"  
  
"And Kiwimon's beak has been lodged in the ground," Dizzy added. "She's completely incapacitated."  
  
"She is?" said Kelly. "Poor Kiwimon."  
  
  
"It's gonna be poor them in a minute if they can't fight DarkShadramon blind," Gotsumon said.  
  
"I'll go pack my bags," Wizardmon said as he got out of his chair.  
  
"Wait a minute," Leomon said. He typed a few keys on a nearby keyboard. On another monitor the profile for Tapirmon appeared. He then brought up the profile of a Champion level Digimon.  
  
"If Tapirmon digivolves into this, they just might have a chance," Leomon said.  
  
"Yeah, a fat chance," Gatomon replied. "What are the odds that he'll become that? Or even digivolve?"  
  
"The odds may not be good, but it's the only chance they got."  
  
  
"FLASH BUSTER!"  
  
"Huh? That wasn't a..."  
  
"DarkShadramon make dino-mon look! FLASH BUSTER!"  
  
"GAH! I can't believe I fell for that again!"  
  
"Now that we're all blind again," Dizzy said. "I think I have an idea."  
  
"I hope it's good," Kelly said. "I think my eyes just went numb!"  
  
"I've noticed a sort of pattern with our battles," Dizzy explained. "When the Digimon that we have aren't good enough to defeat the enemy, one of them digivolves and defeats our adversary."  
  
"Gee, ya think?" Carl remarked. "And that was only two battles. I'd hardly say that's a pattern."  
  
"He has a point," Skeet said. "If your Digimon digivolves, we'll have a better chance of winning."  
  
"What good is digivolving if we still can't see the danged thing?" Carl argued.  
  
Dizzy glanced over to the battle, although he didn't need to see to know that DarkShadramon was smacking around Veedramon again. Veedramon wasn't going to hold out much longer. Dizzy sighed and reached into his shirt pocket to get his coin. He might as well give it a shot. Arguing wasn't going to get them anywhere.  
  
"Kokuwamon!" Dizzy called out. "Heads up!"  
  
Everything seemed to pause as the coin flipped. It rose into the air slowly until it reached the height of its leap. There it hung in midair, spinning faster and faster. The air around it turned dark as the coin itself began to glow brightly and emit a high-pitched whine. For the briefest moment, it stopped, with the sword-etched side facing Kokuwamon. The coin gleamed before exploding into energy that streaked down into Kokuwamon. The energy struck, and the robot-beetle Digimon began to glow and grow.  
  
"Kokuwamon, digivolve to..."  
  
Kokuwamon's body grew big and boxy as his horns grew into his head. His pincer-arms lengthened, becoming flat and ending in talons while his smaller arms became laser guns. As the glow receded, a single organic eye opened on an otherwise totally mechanical body. Kokuwamon has now reached his Champion form...  
  
"MECHANORIMON!"  
  
"MechaNorimon?" DarkShadramon questioned as he let Veedramon drop. "DarkShadramon know of MechaNorimon. Is vehicle of mass destruction that be ridden and controlled from inside, BUT STILL NO MATCH FOR DARKSHADRAMON!"  
  
"Dizzy!" Skeet commanded.  
  
"On it!" Dizzy acknowledged, dashing toward his Digimon partner. "Open up, MechaNorimon!"  
  
MechaNorimon's hatch obediently opened, allowing Dizzy to hop inside. DarkShadramon rammed into MechaNorimon as he did so, causing Dizzy to slip and hit a button.  
  
"GYRO BREAK!" MechaNorimon announced. His arms immediately went out to his sides as he started to spin like a buzz-saw. DarkShadramon was immediately flung off him and buzzed about disoriented.  
  
"Looks like I'm living up to my nickname," Dizzy remarked. He sat in the pilot's seat and grabbed the steering levers. "I better remember that button. Just give me a quick run-down of the controls."  
  
"Ya got two foot pedals: Gas and Brake," MechaNorimon reported. "Buttons on the steerage fire the Twin Beam, you know how to activate the Gyro Break, and when you wanna fly just say the word!"  
  
"Alright, MechaNorimon," Dizzy said. "It's showtime!"  
  
Regaining its bearings, DarkShadramon zoomed right into MechaNorimon again. This time, the vehicular Digimon caught the armored one and shoved back several feet.  
  
"Nice catch," Dizzy said.  
  
"Couldn't've done it better yourself," MechaNorimon said.  
  
"And now... Action!" Dizzy declared.  
  
MechaNorimon drew back his fist and socked DarkShadramon across the jaw. DarkShadramon stumbled back and put his gauntlets up to his head.  
  
"FLASH BUSTER!"  
  
"Oh, good," MechaNorimon remarked. "For a moment there, I thought having a dolphin pilot me was going to be pointless."  
  
MechaNorimon charged as DarkShadramon flew at him again. MechaNorimon's fist missed as the insectoid buzzed past him. The robot turned around as he slid to a stop.  
  
"TWIN BEAM!"  
  
Twin lasers fired from MechaNorimon's guns. DarkShadramon made a ninety-degree course change and flew into the air.  
  
"Engage thrusters," Dizzy commanded. MechaNorimon blasted off after DarkShadramon.  
  
"PSYCHIC WAVE!"  
  
MechaNorimon banked to avoid the blast. Then he dove to avoid DarkShadramon as he flew to intercept.  
  
"Now that I got the controls down," Dizzy said, "Let's show this 1@^^3!^ why my internet deathmatch buddies gave me my nickname."  
  
What followed was a seemingly random series aerial maneuvers, flybys, and hairpin turns that would've baffled anyone trying to follow them. All DarkShadramon could do was hover in place and watch confusedly.  
  
"Did you see that?" Kelly gawked.  
  
"Not really," Skeet said. "But I think I can make out a couple shapes."  
  
"DarkShadramon thought he was supposed to be the quick one," DarkShadramon said, trying in vain to keep track of MechaNorimon's movements. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he turned around.  
  
"You may be quick, but you're not too swift," MechaNorimon remarked, connecting with a right cross. "TWIN BEAM!"  
  
A powerful laser blast hit DarkShadramon in the gut at point-blank range. As the insectoid fell, MechaNorimon grabbed him by the wrist.  
  
"GYRO BREAK!"  
  
With the added momentum of a high-speed spin, DarkShadramon hit the ground like a feature caught under the keys of a grand piano locked in a steel vault on a cruise ship in the belly of a sperm whale.  
  
"DarkShadramon has a headache in his whole body..." DarkShadramon moaned. A shadow suddenly loomed over him.  
  
"Well, looky here!" Veedramon exclaimed. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes! V-NOVA BLAST!"  
  
The resulting explosion knocked DarkShadramon's limp body into the air, where it separated into a green, caterpillar-like Digimon and a black, egg-shaped object. Several similar Digimon scampered out of the bushes and gathered around where their friend was about to fall.  
  
"Sticky Net!" the caterpillars called out. Standing in a circle, they sprayed silken threads that formed a web that caught the falling caterpillar.  
  
"Thank you for saving our friend," one of the caterpillars said. "Wormmon would've never been able to free himself from the Dark DigiEgg of Courage."  
  
"Dark DigiEgg?" Skeet asked.  
  
"Yes, that thing," a Wormmon said, pointing to the black object on the ground. It had the same colors as DarkShadramon and had a blade sticking out of it.  
  
"I'd hate to be the chicken that laid that egg," Kelly remarked.  
  
"Why do they always say that?" one of the other Wormmons asked.  
  
"Its one of many evil elemental DigiEggs created by a dark force," the first Wormmon explained. "Like any elemental DigiEgg, Dark Eggs fuse with a Digimon to create a new, more powerful Digimon much like your coins do."  
  
"But unlike other elemental DigiEggs," a third Wormmon continued, "The Dark Eggs have a simple AI that takes over the mind of its Digimon host, effectively turning them into demented Dark Armor Digimon like the DarkShadramon you just fought."  
  
"But why?" asked Kelly. "Who's doing this? Where do they come from?"  
  
"As far as we can tell, they come from that black cloud," a Wormmon replied. "Other than that, I'm afraid we just don't know. What we do know is that if someone doesn't stop whatever's behind this, the Dark Eggs will take over the entire Digital World!"  
  
Skeet looked at the coin that appeared in his hand when Veedramon devolved to Hawkmon. He squeezed it tightly in his palm.  
  
The fallen Wormmon moaned as he opened his eyes.  
  
"Are you all right, Wormmon?" a Wormmon asked.  
  
"I'm fine, Wormmon," the Wormmon answered weakly. "It's nothing a four-month coma won't cure."  
  
Suddenly, the Dark DigiEgg of Courage started spinning. It spun until it stood on it's point.  
  
"IT'S ALIVE!" the Wormmon screamed as he ran off. "Head for the hills! Run away before it takes us all!"  
  
MechaNorimon landed, crushing the DigiEgg. His hatch opened and Dizzy climbed out, striking a heroic pose atop his mechanoid partner.  
  
"So what was that all about?" Dizzy asked. "Some sort of weird, dark, egg-like thing that turns good Digimon into evil Digimon or something?"  
  
MechaNorimon glowed, reverting back to Kokuwamon. Dizzy landed on top of him.  
  
"Ow," they said.  
  
  
"Okay, so it wasn't the only chance they had," Leomon admitted. "It was still just as slim."  
  
"Well, they beat DarkShadramon," Gatomon said to Wizardmon. She was perched on the back of his chair. "Whattaya say? You staying or leaving?"  
  
"They always beat the first one," Wizardmon said.  
  
"But they usually have at least a week of experience before Damocles is launched," Gotsumon said. "These guys only had two Champions! I dunno 'bout you, but I'm staying."  
  
"You just want to ogle Kelly," Wizardmon said.  
  
"What's your point?" asked Gotsumon.  
  
"You've got to admit that they defied the odds," Leomon noted.  
  
"They just got lucky," Wizardmon said. "It won't last."  
  
Leomon shrugged.  
  
"I guess your mind's set then," he said. "Consider this your 'Get Out of Heck Free' card."  
  
"Thank you," Wizardmon accepted, heading for the door.  
  
"Of course, you'll have to get yourself off the island."  
  
Wizardmon stopped just short of the doorway.  
  
"There just isn't enough time to drop you off with all the stuff we have to monitor. Of course, if we can't stop Damocles like you think then there's no point in actually leaving since it'll spread across the DigiWorld and get you sooner or later."  
  
Wizardmon stood where he was, considering what was just said. His shoulders sagged as he sighed. He returned to his post.  
  
"Okay, I'm staying," he said. "But when they get beaten, I'm on the first flight out of here."  
  
"Good man," Leomon nodded. "Good to have you aboard."  
  
  
Our heroes beat another foe by digivolving. What are the odds?  
Can the Damocles be stopped?  
Will Skeet and his friends put an end to the Black Cloud's rain?  
Do they have what it takes?  
  
Tune in next time, but until then...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
  
  
  



	5. Family Values

Hey. This is Carl. Last time, the dark cloud that appeared over the island started dropping Dark DigiEggs all over the place. We wound up fighting a nutcase called DarkShadramon, who blinded us with his Flash Buster attack. But when Kokuwamon digivolved to MechaNorimon, Dizzy was able to use his sonar to guide him to victory and destroy the Dark DigiEgg of Courage. Nice moves, flyboy, but there are still more Dark Eggs.  
  
  
"Family Values" by Chet "Tech" Weaver  
  
  
Gatomon stepped out of the showers, dropping a towel into a nearby hamper. She walked down the hall on the way to the monitoring room.  
  
"First the boss calls and shortens our schedule," Gatomon reviewed to herself. "Then Leo gets on a suicidal streak and launches the Damocles, and Wizardmon almost leaves. Things are getting serious. With Damocles on the lose, we'll have to be on our guard. The last thing we need is more surprises."  
  
The door slid open as Gatomon entered the monitoring room. Everyone was at their posts, doing what they were supposed to be doing. However, they seemed distracted. She supposed that being on the edge of catastrophe can do that to a 'mon.  
  
Gotsumon was the only one not working. His chair was turned away from her, and it was large enough to hide the rocky Rookie entirely. But the tell-tale edges of a magazine peeking out over the top of the chair as its occupant closely studied the centerfold suggested to Gatomon that he had found something a little more interesting than four anthropomorphic animals lost on an island at the moment.  
  
"Hey!" she scolded. She leapt onto the back of the chair, snatching the publication away. "I thought I told you not to read these hentai mags while you're on the... Sweet Jeebus!"  
  
The sight of what was seated in the chair startled Gatomon. She toppled over forward, falling head-first into the soft lap of a creature that was definitely not Gotsumon. It was small and humanoid, like Gotsumon, but instead of a hide made of rough, craggy stone, its flesh was smooth an peach colored. It wore an outfit of large, green leaves that closely resembled a Japanese school girl's uniform had a vine-haired head topped with a crown of flowers.  
  
"Oh, Gatomon," the new creature said with a charmed smile. "What a simply pleasant surprise."  
  
"Sakuramon!" Gatomon exclaimed. She leapt off Sakuramon's lap. Seconds later, she was clinging to Leomon's back and peeking out from behind his head. "What are YOU doing here!?"  
  
"I just heard about your problem and thought I'd pay you a visit," Sakuramon said innocently. She stood up and daintily dropped the magazine. Gotsumon grabbed it before it hit the ground and got back into his chair where he began leafing through the pages.  
  
"Hey!" Gatomon shot out. "What'd I just say?"  
  
"I'm on my break!" Gotsumon replied.  
  
Growling in frustration, Gatomon turned her attention back to Sakuramon.  
  
"I know you," she said. "You never go anywhere for just a visit."  
  
"Unless it's conjugal," Wizardmon added.  
  
"For real?" Gotsumon eagerly asked. "Are you here to visit me? C'mon! Say you're here to visit me!"  
  
Sakuramon laid a hand on Gotsumon's chair and flung it into a rapid spin.  
  
"Leomon," Gatomon commanded.  
  
"Huh?" Leomon replied. "Oh, uh, Sakuramon?"  
  
"Yes?" Sakuramon cooed.  
  
Leomon blushed slightly. He attempted to scratch the back of his head but Gatomon was in the way.  
  
"Heh," Leomon said. "Does, um, the boss know you're here? It's kinda dangerous, what with Damocles over the island and all."  
  
"What daddy doesn't know won't delete him," Sakuramon said, leaning on the control panel.  
  
"Watch the hardware," Gatomon said. "That's sensitive equipment."  
  
"Don't worry, I got my eye on her," Wizardmon said.  
  
To Gatomon, that was the problem. They were watching her but not watching what she was doing. Few males could ignore her physical beauty, much less resist her alluring demeanor. Gatomon knew from personal experience that she wasn't interested in any of them, but she couldn't say if that was a good thing or a bad thing.  
  
"Just what do you want?" Gatomon demanded, practically hissing.  
  
"Like I said, I heard about your problem with daddy's deadline," Sakuramon explained. She leaned back more, resting her arms where she figured they wouldn't touch anything important, and slid her legs forward. "I may just offer you some help, if you make it worth my while."  
  
"I'm not going to dance with you!" Gatomon refused.  
  
"I will!" Gotsumon accepted.  
  
"Don't get yourselves too excited," Sakuramon said. "No one's dancing with anybody." After a bit of thought, she added, "Not yet, at least."  
  
Sakuramon got off the control panel and spread her butterfly-like wings. She floated up to Gatomon's perch and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. Before Gatomon could respond Sakuramon was whispering softly into her ear. When she had heard enough, Gatomon swatted her hand away and landed on the ground.  
  
"Is that all you want?" Gatomon asked. It was more like a command than a question.  
  
Sakuramon gave it a moment of consideration before nodding.  
  
"Fine," Gatomon accepted. "But the moment I find it, you're outta here. Got it? Wizardmon, you're with me."  
  
"What? Me?" Wizardmon replied.  
  
Gatomon just gave an annoyed grunt and dragged him out of the room by his collar.  
  
"Don't let her distract you, Leo," Gatomon warned on her way out. "Believe me, it ain't worth it."  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
"Carl? Carl? Where are you, Carl?"  
  
Tapirmon floated around the forest, poking his nose into various trees and bushes. His partner, Carl, had ditched him and the others yet again. Perhaps it hadn't occurred to Tapirmon that the bat wanted to be left alone, but regardless he wasn't about to let his partner stay that way for long.  
  
"Caaarrrrrlllll..... Where'd ya go, Carl?"  
  
Carl burst out of a nearby bush, looking as menacing as possible. He stretched out wings as wide as possible and let out feral screech as red liquid dripped from his fangs. Tapirmon was startled but unafraid. In fact, he burst out laughing.  
  
"Why are you laughing?" demanded Carl. "Aren't you scared of me?"  
  
Tapirmon recovered from his laughing fit and said, "Of course I'm not scared of you, silly! I know you'd never hurt me. I'm your friend!"  
  
"I'm nobody's friend!" Carl insisted. "Now leave me alone!"  
  
Carl turned and walked off. Tapirmon followed, hovering at shoulder level.  
  
"C'mon, Carl," Tapirmon beseeched. "Don't be like this. We need each other."  
  
"I don't need anyone," Carl said. "Now go away."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Carl..."  
  
"Go. Away."  
  
"Carl!"  
  
"What part of 'go away' don't you understand!?"  
  
"WATCH OUT!!"  
  
Carl took off into the air, barely avoiding a stampeding heard of Monochromon, and landed in a tree.  
  
"Those rhino-creatures again," Carl noted. "You don't think Dokugumon's close by, do you?"  
  
"Dokugumon may be a dork, but he's not stupid enough to mess with us again," Tapirmon said. "He probably tried to get as far away from us as possible."  
  
"Whatever. I'm not sticking around to see what spooked those Monochromon."  
  
"What? We're running away?"  
  
"No, I'M running away. You can go stuff a turkey for all I care."  
  
"Are you getting the others?"  
  
"Screw the others! I'm getting the heck outta dodge!"  
  
"You're not being much of a team player, Carl."  
  
"Are you brain-dead or something? Read my lips: I. Work. Alone."  
  
"You can't be alone forever, Carl. Everybody needs somebody, sometimes."  
  
Carl paused for a moment. In that moment, it seemed as if Tapirmon's words have hit their mark. Then Carl turned away from him.  
  
"Just shut up, all right?" Carl said as he spread his wings and glided off.  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
"So your name's Veemon, huh?" Skeet said.  
  
"That's right!" the little blue creature shaking his hand said. "But everyone calls me 'V-mon.' And this is my brother Veemon and my other brother Veemon."  
  
The other two simultaneously put out their hands and said, "But you can call me 'V-mon'."  
  
"It's good meeting you guys," Skeet said. "I'm Skeet, and these are my friends Kelly and Dizzy."  
  
"Hey," Kelly greeted.  
  
"But you can call me 'Dizzy'," Dizzy added.  
  
"You know, you sound a lot like our adopted brother, Guilmon," V-mon noted.  
  
"Really?" Dizzy inquired.  
  
"Yeah, except not as stupid," the other Veemon said.  
  
"He's such a baby," the third added. "And he keeps eating all the food."  
  
"So we kicked him out," Veemon said.  
  
"That's terrible," Kelly said.  
  
"That's what mom and dad said when they found out," V-mon said. "Then they sent us out to look for him."  
  
"Maybe we could help each other, then," Skeet suggested.  
  
"We're missing a friend of ours as well," Hawkmon explained. "He's big, brown, and has wings, and he has a Tapirmon with him."  
  
"Well, we haven't seen him, but we'll keep an eye out for him," Veemon offered.  
  
"Thank you," accepted Kokuwamon. "That'd be very much appreciated."  
  
"Carl probably doesn't want to be found, though," Dizzy said. "I think he has his own agenda."  
  
"Well, unfortunately for him, our agenda includes him," Skeet said. "Now lets get moving."  
  
"A Digimon no one wants to find and a bat that doesn't want to be found," Kelly sighed.  
  
"This could take a while," Floramon added.  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
"What's your beef with Sakuramon anyway?" Wizardmon asked as they searched the storeroom.  
  
"Nothing," Gatomon snapped. "Its personal, okay?"  
  
"Okay, sorry."  
  
Gatomon opened a box and began digging through it.  
  
"You're married, aren't you, Wiz?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," Wizardmon answered. "We have a child and another egg on the way. I regret that I may never see them again."  
  
"And you love them?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"How do you know when you're in love?"  
  
"That's a difficult answer. I'm sure its different for everybody, but if its the real thing you'll know it. If it isn't, you'll figure it out eventually."  
  
"I thought I knew what love was once, but then Sakuramon went and ruined everything."  
  
"So you two have a history then?"  
  
"Yeah. A long history. We were... friends once, but then she..."  
  
Gatomon trailed off. She moved on to another box and began digging through that.  
  
"She what?" Wizardmon asked.  
  
"It's too personal," Gatomon replied. "I don't want to talk about it."  
  
Gatomon continued to examine the box's contents silently.  
  
"She stole your boyfriend, didn't she?" Wizardmon attempted.  
  
"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Gatomon roared. She leapt out of the box and marched to the door carrying a blue card. "I got what we're looking for. Let's go."  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
"This is some good fruit, Carl," Tapirmon said. "Sure you don't want some?"  
  
"I'm not hungry," Carl replied.  
  
"Suit yourself," Tapirmon said, scarfing down another piece of fruit.  
  
"Can I have some too?"  
  
"Sure, knock yourself out," Tapirmon said, passing some fruit.  
  
"Oh, thank you."  
  
"You're... Hey, who are you?"  
  
"Huh?" the red reptile looked up from the fruit he was eating. "I'm sorry. The name's Guilmon. Nice to meet you."  
  
"I'm Tapirmon," Tapirmon said. "And this is my partner, Carl."  
  
"Partner?" Guilmon remarked. "You mean like..."  
  
"No, no," Tapirmon replied, feeling a bit self-conscious now. "I meant he's not digital. He's from Earth."  
  
"From Earth?" Guilmon noted. "What is he?"  
  
"I'm an anthropomorphic bat," Carl answered. "What'd you think I was?"  
  
"Sorry, I've never seen an Earthling before," Guilmon replied, eating some more fruit. "Still, you guys are a lot nicer than my brothers V-mon, Veemon and Veemon. They kicked me out because they didn't like me. They said was ugly, stupid, and ate too much. Can I have some more please?"  
  
"Help yourself," Tapirmon said. Guilmon picked several off a nearby bush and chowed down on them.  
  
"I know what it's like," Carl said. "What's it like to be picked on because you look different, or because your circadian rhythms are off by about twelve hours. The other kids didn't like me, so I didn't like them back. Me and society at large haven't been on speaking terms for quite awhile."  
  
"So you don't have any friends?" Guilmon asked.  
  
"Carl has plenty of friends," Tapirmon asked. "He just won't admit it."  
  
"They're not my friends," Carl argued.  
  
"They would be if you'd give them the chance instead of running away from them," Tapirmon said.  
  
"I'm not afraid of them," Carl said.  
  
"I didn't say you were, but obviously you're afraid they'll reject you. Don't let that fear rule you, Carl. At the very least don't let it keep you from your greatest chance of survival! And if your survival didn't mean anything to the others, they wouldn't've looked for you before and they wouldn't be looking for you now!"  
  
"How do you even know that?"  
  
"I know it because you know it. I may not be telepathic or have super-sonic hearing, but every once in a while you look like you've heard your own name being called out. They're looking for us right now, and you're worried about them not liking you?"  
  
Carl sighed.  
  
"You're right," he said. "They are looking for me, and I guess I am acting like a moron. They're looking for you too, Guilmon."  
  
"They are?" Guilmon asked.  
  
Carl nodded. "There are three other voices with them. Must be your brothers. Looks like its time for you to go home."  
  
"Yay!" Guilmon cheered. "Where are they?"  
  
Carl pointed off into the forest. Guilmon ran off in that direction, laughing.  
  
"Guess we better be heading that way, too," Carl said. He spread his wings and flew.  
  
"Hey, Carl," Tapirmon said.  
  
Carl paused. "Yeah."  
  
"If the others don't like you, I always will."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Caaaarrrrlllll...." Dizzy called out.  
  
"Tapirmon, where are you?" Floramon shouted.  
  
"Guilmon, get out here already!" V-mon yelled.  
  
"Someone looking for a big, red Gila monster?" Carl said. He descended from the trees as Tapirmon and Guilmon emerged from the forest.  
  
"You had us so worried!" Kelly said.  
  
"I wasn't," Dizzy said.  
  
"Don't run off like that again, Carl," Skeet said. "We can't afford to waste time looking for you again."  
  
"All right, fine, geez," Carl said. "Don't get so worked up about it. You're not the only one who wants to get back home, you know."  
  
"Guilmon, I believe your brothers have something they want to tell you," Hawkmon said.  
  
"No we don't," Veemon said. "We just can't get back home without... OW!"  
  
His brother elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"Don't say that, you dummy!" V-mon said. He then turned to Guilmon, put his hands together, and bowed respectfully. "We're sorry we kicked you out, Guilmon. We didn't mean the nasty things we said. I hope you can..."  
  
"I'm not sorry," Veemon interrupted. "And I meant every word I said. I'm not apologizing to this stupid, ugly loser! I just wanna go home!"  
  
"Me too!" the other Veemon agreed. "I hate Guilmon! Let's go home and say he's dead."  
  
"Yeah!" V-mon said. "In fact, I take back everything I said! And you're fat, too!"  
  
"I can't believe they're talking to him like that," Carl said.  
  
"Yeah, it's so cruel," Tapirmon agreed.  
  
"No, I mean he's bigger than all three of them!" Carl said. "What are they, crazy?"  
  
Guilmon broke down and started crying.  
  
"I guess he's a little sensitive," Tapirmon said. "He's probably younger than them. He's only a Rookie, you know."  
  
"Something THAT big is a Rookie?"  
  
Guilmon suddenly stopped crying and sniffed the air. His expression turned more feral as he lowered his head and began growling.  
  
"Whoa, easy brother!" Veemon exclaimed. "We were just kidding! Honest!"  
  
"Yeah!" his brother added. "Just foolin' around! Yankin' your chain!"  
  
"In fact, I'd like to apologize for what I said just now!" V-mon continued. "Everything I ever said or did, for that matter! And everything I even considered doing and everything I'm going to do once I get up the nerve to pick on you again!"  
  
"Not you," Guilmon said, pointing into the forest behind his brothers. "That!"  
  
The Veemon brothers slowly turned around. Behind them, they saw a gleam of sunlight reflect off something in the shadows. A dark object suddenly burst out of the foliage. The Digimon dodged it, and it swooped up in the air and hung there.  
  
"It's a Dark DigiEgg!" Skeet exclaimed.  
  
"To be precise, it's the Dark DigiEgg of Friendship!" Hawkmon exclaimed. "It must've sensed the conflict between Guilmon and his brothers and came here looking for a host!"  
  
"We gotta destroy that thing now!" Skeet proclaimed.  
  
"Right!" Hawkmon agreed. He grabbed the feather off his bandana and threw it. "Feather Blade!"  
  
"Deleting Virus!" Tapirmon declared, spewing a dark cloud at the Dark DigiEgg.  
  
"Stamen Rope!" Floramon called out, the stamens in her hands lashing out like whips.  
  
"Mini Shocker!" Kokuwamon said, shooting lightning bolts.  
  
"Pyro Sphere!" Guilmon shouted, spitting out a dense ball of flame.  
  
The attacks missed as the Dark DigiEgg ducked and weaved around them. Then it rocketed right for the Veemons. Guilmon knocked his brothers out of the way, but the Egg slammed into him. Electricity racked his body as it tried to burrow into him.  
  
"Aw, man," Veemon gasped. "He took the hit for us!"  
  
"Even though we were so mean to him!" his brother added.  
  
"It really makes ya think, don't it?" V-mon remarked.   
  
"You have to fight it, Guilmon!" Tapirmon pleaded. "Don't let the Egg take control!"  
  
"I'm... trying..." Guilmon struggled. "But... I..." Guilmon suddenly screamed out in pain as energy surged through him. It caused him to stand up straight and cry out, "DARK DIGI-ARMOR ENERGIZE!"  
  
Everyone was knocked back as the air exploded around Guilmon.   
  
"GUILMON, DARK-ARMOR DIGIVOLVE TO..."  
  
Masked by electricity, Guilmon's form grew. His arms expanded and grew into front legs as he was forced downward into an equine stance. The electric aura burst apart, revealing black armor, back spikes, and purple skin. Possesed by his Dark Armor, this Digimon bellowed, "DARKRAIDRAMON, THE TEMPEST OF DISCORD!"  
  
"G-Guilmon...?" V-Mon attempted to ask.  
  
"Guilmon?" DarkRaidramon growled. "There is only DarkRaidramon now. Guilmon is dead, and soon you will be too! BLACK THUNDER!"  
  
Dark energies crackled above DarkRaidramon's back spikes as it formed into a ball and launched at the Veemon brothers. Time suddenly seemed to slow down. Looking up, Tapirmon could see Carl's coin rising into the air. Reaching the height of its leap it paused in midair, spinning faster and faster. The air around it turned dark as the coin itself began to glow brightly and emit a high-pitched whine. For the briefest moment, it stopped, revealing a stylized yin-yang emblem that faced Tapirmon. The coin gleamed before exploding into energy that streaked down into Tapirmon. The energy struck, and the mystical mammal Digimon began to glow and grow.  
  
"Tapirmon, digivolve to..."  
  
Tapirmon's body and arms lengthened, and his smoke condensed into legs. The glow disappeared as his fur became dark flames. His face mask now lacked the fancy designs he had as Tapirmon. His eyes turned red for a moment as he called out, "DARKRIZAMON!"  
  
Time returned to normal as the attack exploded, kicking up dirt. A few feet away, DarkRizamon rose from a crouching stance to reveal the Veemon brothers safe and sound. He stood and turned towards DarkRaidramon, saying, "The only way to remove that armor now is to beat it off you, so keep in mind that we're doing this for your own good!"  
  
"Well, the only way to feast on your entrails is to beat them out of you," DarkRaidramon countered. "So keep in mind that I'm trying to kill you!"  
  
"Uh, fair enough," DarkRizamon said. "DARK FLARE!"  
  
"BLACK THUNDER!"  
  
The Dark Digimon leapt into the air to avoid each other's respective attacks. They met in midair and DarkRizamon unleashed a barrage of claw swipes at DarkRaidramon.  
  
"ELECTRIC BITE!"  
  
DarkRaidramon clamped his jaws over DarkRizamon's shoulder and shocked him with a couple hundred volts of electricity. DarkRizamon landed in a heap and DarkRaidramon landed on all fours.  
  
"Let's back him up!" Skeet declared.  
  
"Yes, let's!" Hawkmon agreed.  
  
"Goin' for it!" Kelly proclaimed.  
  
"Gettin' on it!" Floramon added.  
  
"Aye, captain!" Dizzy confirmed.  
  
"Order confirmation 348 not found!" Kokuwamon said. "Kokuwamon, digivolve to..."  
  
"Floramon, digivolve to..."  
  
"Hawkmon, digivolve to..."  
  
"MECHANORIMON!"  
  
"KIWIMON!"  
  
"VEEDRAMON!"  
  
"You think I'm scared of you?" DarkRaidramon taunted, dashing off. "I'll take you all on!"  
  
"Let's go!" Veedramon said as he and MechaNorimon ran after him. The three of them were running side-by-side as Veedramon shot out his "V-NOVA BLAST!"  
  
"TWIN BEAM!" MechaNorimon fired lasers from his twin cannons.  
  
DarkRaidramon skidded to a stop, letting the two attacks slam into the other two Digimon as they continued forward. The Dark Armor Digimon reversed course to head for the Veemons. Kiwimon stood between them as DarkRaidramon came to a halt in front of her.  
  
"PUMMEL PECK!"  
  
DarkRaidramon reared up as the DemiKiwimon projectiles bounced off his armor.  
  
"BLACK THUNDER!"  
  
As he came down, DarkRaidramon blasted her with the electric attack at point-blank range. Kiwimon was thrown over the Veemons' heads and crashed into a tree.  
  
"Guilmon!" Veemon called out. "Please, don't hurt us!"  
  
"We know you're in there, brother!" V-mon pleaded. "You have to take control Guilmon!"  
  
"We never really hated you, Guilmon!" their brother said. "It was just stupid sibling rivalry! It meant nothing!"  
  
"STOP CALLING ME GUILMON!" DarkRaidramon roared. "Your brother is gone! There is only DarkRaidramon now! Your pleas mean nothing!"  
  
"SNIPE FANG!"  
  
DarkRaidramon grunted in pain as one of his spikes was cut in half. He turned to see that DarkRizamon still stood.  
  
"There isn't enough room on this island for two Dark Digimon," DarkRizamon growled. "So I'm voting you off! DARK FLARE!"  
  
Black flame washed over DarkRaidramon, but he still stood when it ceased.  
  
"A 'Survivor' reference and a western reference," noted DarkRaidramon. He smirked as steam rose from his armor. "How dated. I assure you, there is enough room for ALL of the Digimon who'll come from the Black Rain!"  
  
DarkRizamon looked around. His comrades had been forced back to their Rookie states.  
  
"Guilmon, listen," he said. "This isn't you. Not the innocent lizard that I probably spent all of two minutes getting to know. You have to fight the armor, Guilmon! Fight it! Fight it!"  
  
"Quit trying to reason with me!" DarkRaidramon growled. "The power of the Dark DigiEgg is to chaotic to approach logically! If you want to survive, you must fight! BLACK..."  
  
DarkRaidramon's attack was cut short as a shadow passed over them. A blue, lizard-like creature with white wings landed behind the brothers.  
  
"Daddy!" the Veemons cheered.  
  
"Father?" DarkRaidramon said.  
  
"An ExVeemon?" DarkRizamon noted.  
  
"What'd I miss?" ExVeemon asked. The Veemon brothers hurriedly explained everything all at once. "I see. Well, you're mother sent me out here because I made the stupid decision send you kids out here all alone after the Dark Rain. Guess she was right. Guilmon, you get out of that armor right now!"  
  
"I will not give up this host," DarkRaidramon refused.  
  
"Here, let me explain it too you," ExVeemon said, crossing his arms across his chest. "EXVEE-LASER!"  
  
ExVeemon flung his arms open and fired an energy beam from the X-V logo on his chest. It slammed into DarkRaidramon, knocking him over. ExVeemon then leapt onto DarkRaidramon and wrestled him. ExVeemon eventually stood, holding up DarkRaidramon in a full-nelson hold.  
  
"This'll only hurt for a second, son," ExVeemon warned. "DarkRizmon, finish him! Take the shot!"  
  
"Got it!" DarkRizamon confirmed. His eyes glowed red as a red dot appeared on DarkRaidramon's head. "SNIPE FANG!"  
  
A small projectile launched from DarkRizamon's mouth and bored through DarkRaidramon's head. The Dark Armor Digimon slumped and begun to glow, separating into Guilmon and the Dark DigiEgg. ExVeemon set Guilmon gently onto the ground, eyeing the Dark DigiEgg hovering before him the whole time.  
  
"EXVEE-PUNCH!"  
  
ExVeemon slammed a fist into the Egg, shattering it into pixels.  
  
"Daddy...?" Guilmon moaned.  
  
"It's alright, son," ExVeemon soothed, picking Guilmon up again. "You just rest now."  
  
"Can we go home now?" Guilmon asked.  
  
ExVeemon grinned and said, "Sure thing." With a more stern expression, he turned to his other sons and said, "Boys, don't you have something to say to your brother?"  
  
"We're sorry Guilmon," V-mon said.  
  
"Yeah, we're sorry we picked on you and got you possessed by that Dark DigiEgg," Veemon said.  
  
"I just want to know why you put yourself in front that DigiEgg," their brother said.  
  
"I didn't want you to get hurt," Guilmon replied.  
  
"Even after we yelled at you like that?" Veemon asked.  
  
"Of course," Guilmon answered.  
  
"Why?" V-mon asked.  
  
"Because," Guilmon said. "You're my brothers."  
  
"Awwww..." everyone else cooed.  
  
"Excuse me while I puke," Carl said.  
  
"C'mon, kids," ExVeemon said, scooping up his remaining children and taking flight. "Let's go home."  
  
"Family values is restored once again!" Skeet cheered.  
  
"Really makes you think, doesn't it?" Kelly asked. "No matter how badly siblings treat each other, deep down inside they really love each other."  
  
"I can relate," Dizzy said. "I got a lot of siblings."  
  
"Me too," Kelly said.  
  
"Me and my sister fight sometimes," Skeet said. "But we're cool."  
  
"Carl?" Tapirmon prompted.  
  
"Sorry," Carl said. "Only child."  
  
"Want a sister?" everyone else offered.  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
"I don't know about strip poker," Leomon said. "I think you have an unfair advantage over me."  
  
"Stop hitting on the boss' daughter, Leo," Gatomon said as she and Wizardmon reentered the control room.  
  
"Hey, I wasn't..." Leomon started.  
  
"Here's your dumb card," Gatomon said to Sakuramon, forcing the card into her hands. "Now get on out of here! 'Git!"  
  
"Don't worry, I'm going," Sakuramon said. At the door, she turned back to Gatomon and said, "Y'know, Gaty, you should consider working under me again. Obviously, we still work wonderfully together."  
  
"Don't count on it!" Gatomon shrieked as Sakuramon left. "And don't call me Gaty!"  
  
  
Well, Gatomon's certainly acting catty. She's having a regular hissy-fit!  
Just what happened between Gatomon and Sakuramon?  
Will Carl get over his insecurities?  
Is Guilmon really adopted, or are his brothers just saying that?  
  
Tune in next time, but until then...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


End file.
